1.   The arrangement also would be open to fishermen from Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, the other Spratly claimants.

2.   The Manila Declaration referred to in the joint statement called on the Spratly claimants to exercise restraint and settle their disputes without resorting to force.

3.   All but Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand are Spratly claimants.

4.   ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, groups Spratly claimants Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam with Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

5.   ASEAN groups the Spratly claimants Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

6.   The other Spratly claimants are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

7.   The Spratly claimants have yet to agree to resolve the dispute in a formal negotiation, with China insisting on a bilateral, rather than a multilateral, approach.

8.   Of the Spratly claimants, only Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur have yet to sign the treaty, Severino said.